The Republican journal., 1887-01-06
NUMBER |.
Why a Prohibition PARTY?

party aH II party whose SOe aCnleNcmtnts nave
been to put in office candidates of the rum par
ty." In Judging of a mans actions as the action
of party, the motireS that impellcd to those
actions must be considered in judgin. them
fairly. Now if the Prohibition party took act
ion for the i'"FpoSc of cticctug the election Of
candidates of the rum party Whichever patty
that may be) then is the Prohibition party r,-
spon>ihle for it. II, however. members of the
Prohibition party voted their own ticket be-
cause il represented their principles a> they be-
licve it their duty to so vote, then they are not
responsible because candidates of the Republic
can party We're defeated for want of their votes
any more than the Republicans are responsible
for the defeat of Prohibition candidates for the
want of Republican votes. Every one will adj
NIT that some Of the Republican candidates
were not in favor of the vigorous enforcement
of the liquor laws. If one of the Republican
candidates happened to be unobjectionabe as
regarded his temperance principles, the Pro-
hbtion party We're under no Obligation TO
abandon their own organization and run TO the
support Of that candidate. If the Republican
party of Maine had always been true to Prohi-
bion. required it, officials TO enforce the pro-
hhtion laws is faithfully a> other laws, and
invariably refused them denomination and re-
election if they neglected to enforce those laws.
then there would have been no Prohibition par
ty. But a> the neglect of the officials of both
OF the old parties to enforce the liquor laws has
called into existence Prohibition party. meni-
bcr> OF that party have Il perfect right to vote
their own ticket, without responsibility for the
results to candidates of the old parties.
Then. Mr.. Editor. You >ay:''rhe Republicans
of Maine have placed OH the statute books all
the existing law, for the prohibition of the
liquor traffic" There are very good reasons
why they have enacted these laws. Before the
Republican party was organized. nearly or quite
Il majority of the people in Maine Were in favor
of prohibiting the liquor traffic and the Repub-
icau party c>poll>cd the cause of temperance to
Gain the favor and votes of temperance men,
and it was Obliged to do the bi,din. of tempel
ancc men, 10 considerable extent. in order to
hold their Votes, consequently the prohibitory
laws Were enacted to hold the temperance men.
If the Republican party had not enacted pro-
hihitory laws there would have been a party
years az" that would have done it. The Re
publican party has done very little except what
it has been obliged to do for temperance Now
we want party that will work for prohibition
without being driven to it.
Again. Mr.. Editor. YOU say; The Republic
can party a. Il party is not responsible for the
enforcement of the li1uur laws any more than
for the enforcement Of the laws against murder
or nccn,liari>m." \ party which is in power
is responsible for the course of its officials
far a> it exercises influence upon them. When
the city or town officials elected by the Repul-
lcan>. or any other party. neglect to enforce
the liquor laws in order to Gain the votes Of
rum sellers, rum drinkers and their friends, the
party which tocratc> such neglect of duty and
even endorses il hy Il remolninaton is rc>por-
>ill,. for tl non-cnforccmcnt of these laws.
The Republican party and it, officials, aS we'll
- the Democratic party and lis Officials. have
repeatedly neglected to enforce the liquor laws,
in order to gjin votes. and when parties do that
they are responsible for the nun-cnforcrmcut
of these laws. Officials are really Responsible
for the enforcement Of all the laws. " hen the
liquor laws are enforced a> well Is the laws
against murder and inrclpiari>m there will hc
no just c;,iI>r of complaint, and if the liquor
laws had always been thus well enforced there
would be NO Prohibition party in Maine to-day.
My statement that Il majority of the people
in every town and city in the STATE j. in favor
of the cutorc,u-ut Of the liquor laws and
another statement hat in most of our cities the
party jhal can hoId the rum votes is pretty